Comparison of Stock Photo Sites

Photos are certainly one of the ways to communicate. It has evolved after all these years and it turn out to be more effective than ever. Stock photos are becoming popular nowadays for the reasons that people needs for a lot of things like decorate their websites. With the emergence of internet, it now so easy to find stock photos that are sold online and that have royalty free licenses which are much cheaper than ever. Stock photos are easy to access and you can choose from wide selection. They can be found in large databases where all you have to do is input keywords and you can find the pictures that you need. Aside from the fact that you can easily search for one, you can download it also at a faster rate. Don’t waste your time by having a photo shoot because all you have to is to create an account in any stock photo website.

Stock photos usually have a wide variety and selections that you can choose from. There are galleries and libraries that you can check out. There are some that may not offer you with best resolutions and even best prices but if you look around then you might able to find both. Aim for micro stock libraries where you can expect great photos from this websites. You can be assured that owners of this type of sites accept quality photos only. One major thing about stock photos is the fact that they are legal. When purchasing a stock photo, you will not have a problem with copyright photos. You can post them anywhere without facing legal issues.

People are also interested with stock photos because of the fact that they are so affordable. You can also get discount when you order bulk. With stock photos, you can never go wrong as it is an ideal choice with any requirements that you have when it comes to images.

What to look for in a stock photo sites

If you are going to select a stock photo website, there are lots of things that you have to consider. One is the question how are you going to use the image. You may need to consider the resolution and the size. Once you know the image that you need, check out these factors that you need to take note when selecting the right stock photo site.

• Features – This often refers to the account management tools and services a stock photo site has to offer. This can often include resolution, licenses and other media tools.
• Search Box – This is so important especially when the website has a huge database. It is impossible to browse through website with thousand of images that is why a search box is essential. A very efficient site needs to a search filters to produce a target results.
• Quality of the Image – A good stock photo site can offer striking images that you can use for whatever purpose. If you are not an expert in examining photos, you may need to have a picture that you can compare it with.
• Selection – This is one of the criteria that you may need to focus on because diversity is so important. You need to take note of the number of images and the types that are available to you.

Here is a comparison and review of 7 top stock photo websites that we found online. There are more available.

• Getty Images – This stock photo site that is trusted in the market today. They can support different languages and format. They offer every kind of media that you need from pictures, video, film and stock images. They offer collection from National Geographic and Time. This can satisfy any client with their account management tools, exclusive licensing and royalty subscription. Everyone can be happy with Getty Images as it serves as a doorway to the market when it comes to stock photos.
• PunchStock – They have over a million of images under many collections. They offer royalty free images for a low price and cd collections. They provide images that can be competitive enough and they also have high end collections. Their images range from contemporary to stylish that is perfect for ads and marketing materials. There prices are moderate.
• Shutterstock – They offer very cheap subscription service with over 400 thousand images. You can choose from a number of subscription plans. This perfect for those who wants free downloads everyday with flexible licensing terms. They offer good variety of illustrations and clip art.
• Alamy - This is a stock photo service with over four million pictures from thousands of photographers and agencies. There is no subscription required so you are free to browse images.
• Acclaim Images – They have royalty free images and right management system. You click on directly to the photographer’s website when you want to commission works. If you are looking for a moderately price image then this is the website for you. If you are however looking for hard to find pictures or altered images, then this site would not satisfy you.
• Images.com – It offers conceptual images and focuses on rights management as well as royal free image. They have collections from Spots Illustration, Ablestock, Keith Levit, Affordable Illustration and Image Zoo. This is good especially if you are interested in high quality images. Best source if want illustration
• Blackstar – This is owned by the Black Publishing Company. It specializes in assignment photography, editorial and photojournalism. They offer ad images and good customer services.